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GaliWalker 
Group: Members
Posts: 585
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 22 2012, 1:22 pm |
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Repost from the Storytelling forum...
Oct 20, 2012: Whiteoak Canyon and Stony Man, Shenandoah National Park
According to the visitor guide, Shenandoah National Park's primary purpose, when it was established in 1935, was to provide the "traditional western national park experience to the urban east". When I first visited Shenandoah in August, I didn't even try to compare it to the western parks I had been to, since the place was so very different. Furthermore, it was quintessential mid-Atlantic terrain and not necessarily that unique, compared to many other beautiful spots I had visited in West Virginia. Yesterday, on a gorgeous fall day my previous impression were turned on its head. Shenandoah was a completely transformed place, wearing its cloak of fall finery better than possibly any other place I'd seen. If Yosemite is the granite classic and Zion the sandstone one, Shenandoah was the oak variety. Absolutely incredible!
Whiteoak Canyon - Cedar Run Canyon loop
Stats: 8.2mi, 2500ft gain
I had hiked Old Rag Mountain on my first trip, but had only briefly explored the Whiteoak Canyon area. I had already decided then, to return to the region and complete one of the Shenandoah classics: hike up Whiteoak Canyon to Skyline Drive - which to most people is Shenandoah National Park - and then back down via Cedar Run Canyon. With this objective in mind, I reached an empty Whiteoak Canyon trailhead by 7:00am.
After self registering and getting my national park permit, I took off up Whiteoak Canyon. The light was just bright enough for me to realize that I was in a different Shenandoah from before. Reds and yellows painted the upper storey, while crisp psychedelic-colored leaves crunched underfoot in the lower storey. The hike was alongside pretty Whiteoak Run. I kept getting distracted by little cascades and pools in the stream, so it was a slow 1.5mi before I reached lower Whiteoak Falls. I was lucky to be able to enjoy this lovely spot in solitude.
A series of switchbacks took me upward through beautiful oaks and maples, until I reached the three upper Whiteoak Falls. As I reached the third falls I ran into the first other hikers, who had approached from Skyline Drive.
After the upper Whiteoak Falls, I crossed the run to leave the Whiteoak Canyon trail. The next 2mi or so were along the wide Whiteoak Canyon Fire Road trail. This angled away from Whiteoak Canyon to intersect the Cedar Run trail at Skyline Drive. I completed my 8mi loop by hiking down the Cedar Run trail in gorgeous sunshine and pleasant crowds.
Stony Man and Skyline Drive
Stats: 1.6mi, 250ft gain
After my Whiteoak Canyon hike I drove up to the main Shenandoah National Park attraction, Skyline Drive, which stretches 100mi along the Blue Ridge Mountains. Various scenic overlooks provide expansive views to east and west. On my previous trip I had found these to be quite pretty, but this time around they were spectacular. Waves of colorful ridges, mainly red due to the predominance of oak trees, ebbed and flowed in all directions.
Old Rag
I finished off my day with the 1.6mi hike to the Stony Man overlook - short, super crowded, but with superb views.
Total trip time, to and from Pittsburgh: 21hrs
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
Photos: http://galiwalker.zenfolio.com
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aseege1
Group: Members
Posts: 370
Joined: Jul. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 23 2012, 10:06 am |
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Great pics as always. Looks like you and I were in the same ballpark on saturday. I was sittin atop old rag right about this time.
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GaliWalker
Group: Members
Posts: 585
Joined: Feb. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 23 2012, 10:34 am |
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Oh, then I should have waved at you, when I took this:
I was extremely tempted to hike Old Rag, because my only other time was in thick mist. However, I wanted to see more new stuff, so ended up sticking to my original plan.
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'Gali'Walker => 'Mountain-pass' walker
Photos: http://galiwalker.zenfolio.com
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| Post Number: 4
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aseege1
Group: Members
Posts: 370
Joined: Jul. 2010
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Posted on: Oct. 23 2012, 2:25 pm |
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If only I had my binoculars I could have waved back.
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Squilax
Grumpy Old Bear
Group: Members
Posts: 1042
Joined: Aug. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 24 2012, 8:46 am |
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Beautiful! Thanks for sharing the pics.
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Steve
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MRHyker
Group: Members
Posts: 3554
Joined: Dec. 2005
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Posted on: Oct. 24 2012, 9:03 am |
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Guest
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"Red is the color of the sun with my eyes closed." - Dave Matthews
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